1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for electrochemically adjusting the plutonium in nitric acid solutions to the Pu (VI) oxidation state.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for adjusting the valence of plutonium is for the purpose of, for example, the common precipitation of plutonium with uranium as mixed isotope crystals, which then are converted through thermal dissociation into uranium/plutonium mixed oxides. Such mixed oxides have excellent solubility in nitric acid. In German Published Prosecuted Application No. 28 11 959, to which reference is expressly made, a method for producing mixed oxides has been set forth specifically. The method for adjusting the valence described there requires a fairly large amount of equipment so that the problem arose to achieve this valence adjustment of plutonium with simpler means.